


Come with me

by Exostrike



Category: Amnesia: Rebirth (Video Game), Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Dark World, M/M, Torture, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:41:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28956609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Exostrike/pseuds/Exostrike
Summary: Daniel travels to the dark world with Alexander as lovers. However in this strange alien world his freedom comes at a terrible price.
Relationships: Alexander of Brennenburg/Daniel
Kudos: 13





	Come with me

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by some fan art by itami-salami
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/itami-salami/art/Dark-World-860382913

“Come with me,” Alexander as he stood in front of the rippling portal. “I know I have hurt you so much. But I did it out of love, you must believe me.” Daniel stopped, confused in his attempt to topple the pylon. Memoires flooded his mind, of furtive glances, suggestive complements and finally, forbidden passions. “I see you remember now,” Alexander said and offered his hand towards Daniel, the other holding the portal open. “Come with me, and experience a whole other world at my side, my love.” He smiled, his face full of longing and hope. For a moment Daniel thought about it, a hundred emotions swirling in his head, and then he reached out and took Alexander’s hand. There was an almighty flash and they were going through the portal.

For Daniel what happened next was a blur, for an instance it felt like every fiber of his being was being torn apart, then he was falling, hitting the ground hard. He remembered retching and then being knocked to the ground, of people shouting in a language he could not understand, of being dragged away kicking and screaming, of being examined by a man with searing blue eyes that glowed. They’d done something to him he could tell, let him understand their language, even if it still sounded unnatural.

Eventually he heard the sound of a group approaching the door to his cell like room and Alexander entered. He had changed. His skin was now a pale blue, the same colour it had been in the orb chamber and his eyes where the same are the other beings that had tended to him, a darker shade of blue than his skin and faintly glowing, his pupils barely discernible white dots. “It is good to see you safe,” he said, reaching out his arms, a familiar warmth appearing in those alien eyes. At least his voice had not changed. He was clad in grey robes adorned with alien designs.

“Alexander? Where are we?” Daniel asked, thankful to see a familiar face at last.

“I’m home,” Alexander explained, his face beaming with pride. “After hundreds of years of exile I have returned.”

“So are we free to leave this place?” Daniel got to his feet. While the people that had treated him had been respectful he had received little warmth from them either.

“Unfortunately I first have to secure our freedom.” A frown pierced Alexander’s optimism. The door opened again and two burly men in armor stepped though. While the halberd like weapon they carried looked ceremonial the statement was clear. “Come, they have assembled a tribunal to judge us,” he said, pulling on Daniel’s hand. 

The three blue men looked coldly upon the two men from their raised dais. Daniel resisted the urge to shiver, this world always felt cold but this plainly dressed stone chamber felt especially cold. The guards at the entrance to the room didn’t help. A timekeeper of some kind chimed and the leader of the men, presumably their judges, got to his feet while another tapped a glowing device. His robe was more complex and decorated with gold, a sign of rank perhaps. “We are here today to pass judgement on the return of Ayandra,” the man said and looked at Alexander. It had never occurred to Daniel that Alexander hadn’t been his true name. “It is a surprise to see you again. You were exiled after all,” the man observed in a less formal tone.

“I grew homesick, Temaku,” Alexander replied, clearly knowing the man. “I could not live in that world forever.”

“It was certainly a spectacular return,” Temaku noted, looking down at a document. “Opening an unsanctioned portal inside the great temple’s gardens, nearly crushing a priest. I see.”

“I had hoped for a more inconspicuous exit point. Clearly my calculations were slightly off.”

“Indeed they would appear. While the priesthood wishes to press charges there are more important matters. The small matter of you breaking your exile.” Temaku looked at Alexander with contempt.

“I was hoping that the state would show clemency, given the length of my exile,” Alexander replied.

“If it was up to me your exile would be reinstated,” Temaku said bluntly. Daniel saw Alexander tense up, awaiting a renewed sentence. “However changes in the royal court means the empire now has a more compassionate policy and the state is willing to overlook your past transgressions,” he continued, clearly disappointed. Alexander breathed a visible sigh of relief.

“However there is still the matter of the earth slave you returned with.” Temaku’s glowing eyes turned towards Daniel.

“Lover,” Alexander corrected, taking Daniel’s hand.

“I see your degeneracy has not ceased,” one of the other members noted.

“I was not aware it was a crime,” Alexander countered.

“I take it you wish to keep this earthman at your side?” Temaku asked.

“Of course”

“Then a price must be extracted,” Temaku declared, a perverse grin forming across his face.

“Name it then.”

“One standard vial a month. To be produced at your own discretion.” Alexander’s hand suddenly tightened around Daniel’s. A vile of what Daniel wondered.

“And if I fail to produce the amount?” Alexander asked, a hint of emotion creeping into his voice.

“Then both you and your lover will be taken to the factories and processed as prisoners of the empire,” Temaku bluntly stated. Alexander was silent of a second, his eyes flashing between Daniel and Temaku, a look of anguish across his face.

“It seems I have no choice but to accept,” he declared.

“Good. I think that concludes the proceedings.” Temaku smiled, bringing the tribunal to a close. “We expect the vial by the end of the day,” he added as the three men stood up to leave.

“We’ve free,” Daniel said to Alexander.

“Yes, yes we are,” Alexander muttered quietly almost as if the tribunal had reinstated his exile. 

  
  


“Where are we going?” Daniel asked as they walked along mysterious corridors. Almost immediately after the tribunal had concluded they had traveled on this world's version of a railway to an industrial facility of some kind.

“There is something we must do,” was all Alexander said as he walked with a heavy step. They came to a series of doors, one of which Alexander entered apparently at random. The room revealed some kind of laboratory, though what most of it did was a mystery to Daniel, everything here was a mix of technology and magic. Another person, presumably a man of science, or what this world called science, working at a device at the other end of the room looked up at their entrance. Alexander quickly approached the man and there was a short conversation and the man left the room. 

Alexander turned to the device the man had been working on which was positioned in front of a large metal cabinet and pressed a glowing button. There was a series of metallic clicks and buzzes and the cabinet lit up, its front splitting apart to reveal a place for a man to stand, surrounded by machinery. “Please step into the pod,” Alexander said, still looking down at the device in front of him.

“What for?” Daniel asked. He didn’t know what most of the machinery inside the pod was but he could make out needles and blades.

“It needs to be done. Please step into the pod,” was the only reply.

“I don’t want to.” Daniel tried to take a step back only to find Alexander blocking his way.

“Please don’t struggle,” he said a mix of misery and determination on his face.

“No!” Daniel shouted, sensing danger and lashed out, hoping to push past him but Alexander grabbed his hand in an unnaturally strong grip. “Let me go! Why are you doing this?” Daniel struggled to break escape but his grip was like iron.

“What do you think the price of your freedom was?” Alexander asked, starting to push Daniel back towards the cabinet. “It’s vitae from your bloodstream.” 

“You’re not going to do that to me!” Daniel screamed, remembered the horrors that they had performed to produce the substance. He dug in his heels and attempted to slash at Alexander’s face with his nails. Alexander simply knocked away the attack and punched him in the stomach before smashing him into the floor.

“Don’t you understand?” he shouted as he dragged the dazed Daniel back up again. “This is the only way! The only way we can ever be together!” He hauled him to the pod and placed him inside. “Believe me, this small sacrifice is better than the alternative. They’d take you away to an endless cycle of fear, and pain in the factories!” he tried to explain as he started strapping Daniel into the machine. All Daniel could do was look on with terror and betrayal as he felt the machine coming alive around him, the restraints tightening on their own accord, of things moving behind him, just pressing against his flesh.

“Please,” Daniel begged as Alexander clicked the last restraint closed, a single tear running down his cheek. Alexander paused for a moment and looked deep into his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” was all that he could bring himself to say, his face a mask of misery. “But don’t worry, I will ensure you do not remember.” he added and pushed the pod’s doors closed. He moved to the control station and reviewed the controls, no major changes had been made during his exile it seemed. He tweaked a few settings, no permanent damage while keeping the production cycle as short as possible. Then he threw the switch and listened to the muffled screams. They called the pods a more humane method of production he remembers, a smaller supply to make the process more palatable. How hollow that statement sounded right now. 

Daniel awoke with a start. He was in a strange bed that he couldn’t remember getting into and as his body caught up with him, he was also naked. Then the fact that his sleep had been undisturbed, even pleasant, registered. He couldn’t remember the last time his sleep hadn’t filled with nightmares. He looked around the unfamiliar room, rubbing his finger through the strange silk like bedsheets, the rest of the room as spartan, no, more unfurnished, a wardrobe, an empty stack of shelves, a large desk with a single device trailing a wire that disappeared into the wall. Slightly pale sunlight shone through an open window, the faint sound of people could be heard. Daniel raised himself up slightly to get a better view. It all seemed so normal, and yet at the same time so alien. 

“You’re awake,” Alexander said, suddenly appearing from a doorway. Daniel jumped at the surprise, his heart racing for a second. “I didn’t mean to startle you,” Alexander apologised, coming over to the side of the bed. “Everything alright?” he asked, looking at Daniel intently.

“Yeah everything is fine. It was just such a pleasant sleep” Daniel replied. Alexander smiled internally, the dose of the elixir of Emmerysh has removed Daniel’s memory of his torture. He’d debated long and hard before administering the dose. While it was wrong to rob him of his memories, he knew Daniel would both never forgive him for what he had done or survive another session as a sane man, and he’d lost too much already to lose the love they shared. It was for the best. 

“Good,” he whispered and leaned down to kiss him. 

They held the kiss for a long time, Alexander slowly pushing Daniel back down into the bed and climbing on top of him. Running his hand across Daniel’s chest. Daniel reaching up to Alexander and discovering his robe was very easy to remove. Eventually Daniel broke the kiss to breath. “I remembered something,” he muttered absentmindedly. “Something about not remembering something.” Alexander froze for a second. He had though he had measured the dose of elixir perfectly. Please don’t let him remember right this second. “It must have been from when I used the amnesia potion,” Daniel decided, toying with a lock of Alexander’s hair. Alexander sighed internally and smiled.

“That is in the past now,” he said, and slid a hand down to Daniel’s crotch. He smiled as he recoiled at the touch. This wasn’t the time for painful memories, this was the time for passion. 

“So what will you do now?” Daniel asked as they lay on the bed in the afterglow.

“I still have some friends in the alchemist guild. I was able to borrow the apartment from one of them,” Alexander explained, waving around the room. “I was quite a herbalist of some renown before my exile.”

“I doubt there is much demand for an archeologist, certainly not one from another planet.”

“There are those that study the past. The Archivists study the ground as much as our records.”

“I suppose I could learn such a craft.” Daniel considered the suggestion, would these archivists even accept him as an equal or as an interloper.

“Then again you could probably make your living writing about your world. I’m sure people will be interested in life on other worlds.”

“I am not an exhibit,” Daniel protested. He had seen enough living exhibits in London to know what that would be like. 

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Alexander apologised.

“Come,” he said, getting off the bed. “I want to show you some of the beauty of this world. Let us visit the botanical gardens and experience the plants of a hundred worlds.”

“Yes, I think I would like to do that,” Daniel said, leaving the bed and struggling to find his clothes, eventually settling on a mismatch of his own clothes and stuff from the wardrobe. Alexander looked at Daniel and adjusted his hood slightly.

“Together forever,” he said and with that they walked out into the pale sunlight. 

Yet as they walked through fields of gold and past trees of ruby red a tinge of sadness remained in Alexander’s heart. For he knew the day would come soon where he would once again be forced to bring Daniel back to the extraction room and torture the man he loved to extract another vial. While he could make sure that Daniel could never remember the suffering he could do nothing to alleviate his own. The tribunal’s new judgement had been just as brutal as the last. In some ways this was worse than this exile. He looked at Daniel and smiled, but, for the moment they were together.


End file.
